Time to Get It Right
by Demigoddessdemetria
Summary: After Solan and Eve, one crazy night produces Demetria, demi-goddess, amazon princess, and daughter of Xena. 14 summers later, Xena and her bard struggle to raise the girl who doesn't realize her own strength. They are determined to get this go at parenting right. Will contain references to spanking. No plans for explicit content yet, but read disclaimers. M rating just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**_I own nothing from the Xena Universe. Demetria, however, is mine, and I shall do with her what I please. Or what you all please if you have suggestions that fit. Nothing too crazy here. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!_**

_**Thunk**_

"Demi."

_**Thunk**_

"Demetria…"

"Yeah, Ma?" _**Thunk**_

"How about you take that somewhere else?"

"Mmmm, nah, I'm good here." _**Thunk**_

Xena put her whetstone down and glared at the teenager in front of her, "That wasn't actually a request, Demetria." She sighed flatly.

"What's really wrong with me doing this here, Mama?"

"I'm trying to think, Demi, and I can't do that if you're kicking that ball about."

"There's nothing else to do!"

"There are plenty of things to do. You could clean those fish I caught earlier. You could gather more kindling. You could do some of the scrollwork Gabrielle gave you. You could finally finish stitching that set of leathers you ripped-"

"Mama, mama, mama…"The girl interrupted, "Those are _chores_, mama. Not 'things to do'."

The warrior cocked a brow, "You know what? I think I'd like you to grab those scrolls and finish them. Gabrielle would appreciate that."

The teenager sighed and turned away, "I'd appreciate if those scrolls burned in tartarus" she muttered.

"What was that?" Xena called.

"Nothing, Ma."

"That's what I thought… And if those scrolls turn up missing, or accidentally fall in fire or water, or become irreparably damaged in _any_ way, your backside will pay the price." she warned her daughter.

Demetria rolled her eyes, but bit her tongue. Giving the leather ball another kick toward their hut, she dragged her feet all the way to retrieve the scrolls. She hadn't actually been punished in that way in somewhere around six summers, but the threat was pretty constant, and she never really put it past her mother or the bard. She had managed to keep her behind safe in the amazon village as well… Mostly by not being caught doing things that were _too_ bad. Instead, she was often stuck doing tedious chores, or running drills, or writing scrolls. It was so commonplace, at that point, for her to have many days worth of scroll writing, that even Gabrielle lost track of what was due and when.

She sat down at the table and unrolled the first one she had fished out of the bag under her bed to read what was meant for her to write repeatedly.

**I will not take Argo without permission to go "hunt warlords". It is not "proactive", it is foolish. My parents love me and will definitely kill me if I ever do either of these things again.**

"Well…" The teen said to herself, "Nope. I'm not writing this. It's too long." She looked out the window and saw her mother sitting in the same place as before, sharpening her throwing knives. She stuck her head out, "Ma? Mama! Mom! Mommy! Mama mama mama mama mama MamaaaaaAAAAAA!"

"What?!" Xena yelled back, annoyed.

"Nothing."

The warrior stood up and turned toward the hut. "Come here, Demetria." She ordered, beckoning the girl with her finger.

"I can hear you from here, Xena."Demetria answered from the window. She regretted her response immediately as the warrior dropped her whetstone and knife where she stood and headed straight for the hut.

Demetria backed into the farthest corner she could as her mother advanced on the dwelling. She flinched as the door was thrown open and the imposing figure of the warrior princess filled its frame.

"Now, Mama-" she started, holding her hands up in a show of peace.

"Be quiet, little girl." Xena demanded, pulling a chair out from the table and sitting down. She motioned for her daughter to stand in front of her. Demi shuffled in front of her timidly and tried to smile in the face of disapproval. Xena gave her a hard look then sighed, running her hand over her eyes, "Demetria, what's going on with you today? You're restless and you're acting like a small child."

"Mama, I'm _bored _here. I want to go back to the village… At least there are other girls my age there that I can be around."

"We talked about this. It's dangerous right now… Gabrielle has to straighten this impending 'war' out. All the youngest warriors have been removed from the village… "

"Well why can't we be where _they_ went?"

"We will be. I already told you that, but it's going to be a few days. I had to stop home and check in on mother. And besides, it won't kill you to spend a little time with me, will it?"

"Mama, you do everything _but_ spend time with me… I'm sitting here by myself all the time doing nothing. Oh, and I'm not doing those scrolls. They were written the same way Gabrielle talks. They're too long."

"Those scrolls were punishments, Demi, and you will do them, but I'll give you until we reunite with Gabrielle to finish them. In the meantime, you had better start watching how you speak to me. You will not tell me what you will and won't do when I have already made the decision, and you will stop acting like a naughty five year old when you feel bored. Understood?"

"Yeah, I hear you, Warrior princess." The girl sighed.

"My name is not anything but 'Mama' or any close variation thereof to you, little girl."Xena growled, growing more irritated by the moment. "And furthermore, I get the impression that you don't believe I will punish you the way I used to and I would actually rather avoid you pushing the boundaries just to test that, so let me know now if I need to pull you over my knee to prove it to you."

Demetria shook her head, "I believe you, Mama… I do…I just know you wouldn't do that just because I'm being annoying."

Xena sighed for the millionth time that day. Reaching out to pull her daughter into a hug, she met Demetria halfway on the point, "You're right, my little troublemaker, I wouldn't because you're being annoying, but I would because you're being disrespectful. You know you're to do as you're told at every turn because our lives depend on it in certain situations, right?"

The girl nodded.

"Right. So I want you to do as your told, and I want you to stop being disrespectful to me by calling me everything but "mama", and telling me you aren't going to do something I told you to do."

She let Demi go and tousled her hair, "I guess you can leave the scrolls for now, not that you worked on them at all… Go grab your sword and drill out front here, where I can see you. I promise we'll have some time together tonight to ride or track."

Xena sat back and watched her daughter drill. She was fast and graceful...Much lighter on her feet than even Xena was at that age. At fourteen summers, the girl was only a head shorter than Xena and managed to display a flawless mix of her mother, her father, and Gabrielle. With long reddish brown hair, emerald green eyes, and cheekbones women would kill for, she would certainly be the target of many people's affections. She was a demigoddess, fathered by Ares, produced by Xena, and carried by Gabrielle. It was a hell of a story, that.

"Xena, are you hungry, dear?"

Cyrene had returned, breaking the warrior out of her reverie.

"You know, mother, I could eat." She answered, still watching her daughter through the window.

"She's very good, Xena, but do you really think it's a good thing to teach her how to use all those weapons and expose her to so much fighting and war?"

"Don't start, Mother... I know what's best for her." She lowered her voice, "Teaching her to use these weapons and how to keep from using them are very important lessons... My daughter is a powerhouse, literally, and the more control I give her with them, the better she will control her urge to use the powers that come with being a demi-goddess."

"Well," the older woman replied, "Do you have to raise her in that Amazon village? Can't you give her a proper home?"

"That _is_ a proper home. Gabrielle and I are there. She has kids there she can socialize and learn with. It's all very important, mother. It's all for a reason, and that reason has to do with her future. I just want her to be safe..." She trailed off, lost in her own thoughts again.

Outside, Demetria went through a familiar drill for what seemed like the hundredth time.

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"By the gods, you're good." A voice came from out of nowhere.

She stopped and readied the weapon in her hand as she looked around. "Yeah, I know I am. Why don't you come out and let me show you up close?"

The voice suddenly came from behind her, right in her ear, "Well, I don't really need a demonstration. Not with your mother 30 paces away."

She whirled around and looked up into the face of the god of war. Stunningly handsome, muscular, and as devious as ever.

"Mama!" She yelled, only to have a hand clapped over her mouth, "Hey, hey... Relax, we don't need to involve her. I just wanted to stop by and see how my little girl is doing."

"I'm not your little girl, God of war. I'm an amazon princess, and I don't want anything to do with you!" She responded, flipping over him with a flourish to whack him on the arm with the flat of her sword.

"Alrighty then," he grimaced, rubbing his arm.

"Demetria, go inside." Xena ordered, having come out at her daughter's first call.

"I can handle-"

"Go. Inside. Now."

The teenager scowled and brushed past her mother angrily, slamming the front door to the inn.

Xena closed her eyes, trying to keep her cool as she faced the god before her. She could hear her daughter arguing with her mother from inside the inn.

"What are you doing here, Ares?"

"What, I can't come see my daughter?"

Xena stepped toward him, "She's not your daughter. She's my daughter. She's Gabrielle's daughter. She's-"

"Blah, blah, blah... That's all I hear, Xena." He cut her off. "She IS my daughter. She looks like me, she fights like me, and she has some pretty cool powers, courtesy of me."

"Alright." The warrior drawled, forming a stiff smile, "You reclaimed your Godhood, Ares. She's your daughter, but you haven't been here to raise her, so I'm going to need you to back off, or I'm going to send you back to Olympus with your head in a bag."

The god began to laugh heartily, "See, now this is why I've loved you all these years... Fine, I'll go."

He gave her a look, "but I will be back, Xena. I will have my child and I will bring her to her full potential in my name."

"The day you show up to do that is the day you die for good, Ares. I'm finished having my children taken from me." Xena replied calmly.

He grinned at her and disappeared without acknowledging the threat she had made against him. He knew she didn't really know how to keep his daughter from her, and she knew that he knew it, too. She could hear her daughter still arguing with Cyrene so she made her way back to the inn slowly, already tired of dealing with everything for the day. She wasn't as young as she once was, and she was becoming less patient, if anyone would have believed it to be possible.

"Everyone else already treats me like a child! I suppose it's not such a surprise coming from you." She heard her daughter yell at her mother from some corner of the inn.

Cyrene came out from the back with a pitcher of wine for opening time, "You are a child, and you've been acting like one as well." she called over her shoulder.

"Mother, don't argue with her... She'll never stop." the warrior chided.

"You know she came in here slamming doors, throwing things, and swearing? I'm not going to have that."

"I don't expect you to take that, Mother. Where is she?"

"With her nose in a corner in the kitchen."

Xena stifled a laugh, "I'll take care of it." she promised.

"See that you do," the inn keeper huffed, "She broke one of my good bowls and it was all I could do to not warm her up properly."

The warrior gave her mother a silent hug and headed back into the kitchen. She saw her daughter standing in the corner and sat down at the table. "Demi, really?"

The girl turned around, "You always send me away... I could have handled that, Mama."

"No one told you to leave the corner, Demetria." The warrior warned with a cocked brow and a twirl of her finger. Once the girl had returned to her position, Xena continued, "I don't want you talking to Ares, period, and I definitely don't want you to come in here and take that out on your grandmother."

"But Mama-"

"I'm not done, little girl. You have been pushing and pushing for the last day, at least. Your temper is showing, Demetria, and I don't like it. It's disrespectful." She intoned, drawing the last word out pointedly.

The teenager threw her hands up in the corner, muttering to herself.

"What was that?" The warrior asked though both of them knew she could hear.

"Nothing... Mama... Grandmother already spanked me, so I think I've learned my lesson."

"She did?" Xena asked, pushing up from the table to look for her mother.

"Oh, I did not," Cyrene called incredulously from the main room, "I only swatted her behind once when she threw and broke my bowl."

Xena glared at her daughter, " Demetria? Should I remind you of what an actual spanking is?"

"No, I remember, Mama dearest."

"Huh. I don't think you do, my love." Xena answered dryly. She was tired of warning and cautioning and trying to be patient. She gave herself a moment to let go of her anger and resolved to remind her daughter of what happened when she was disobedient or disrespectful.


	2. Separation Anxieties

**I own no one, but Demetria and a few of her little friends. No crazy content here, just a little anticipation. Enjoy! Oh, and don't expect me to upload at this pace all the time! ;)**

"Mama, seriously, this isn't necessary." Demetria pleaded, backing into her mother's room at the inn.

"Oh, Demi, I think it is." She sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to grab her daughter's wrists, pulling the girl in front of her. "Can you honestly tell me you haven't been looking for this today?"

"I can honestly tell you I wasn't looking for this, Mama." The girl replied nervously. "I just wanted some attention... We've been away from the village for days and I'm bored and you've been busy..." She looked at her feet, "I miss Gabrielle and I miss doing things like fishing and riding, and sparring with you."

Xena let her daughter's wrists drop, "Demi, I'm sorry I haven't been paying you enough attention. I've been worried about things at the village. It's hard..."

"Taking care of me?.. Because you think I'm a child who can't handle anything." The girl finished for her.

"Well, I'm not going to lie to you, kid. I'm here because I want to keep you out of harm's way, but it's not because I think you can't handle anything." She explained, rubbing her eyes. "It's complicated, Demetria, and I need your help and cooperation if we're going to get to camp where everyone else is. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay, Mama." The teen answered, frowning. "Are you still going to, you know..."

"Spank you? Do you think I should?"

"Well, uh, no?...not really... I mean, I didn't do anything to put any of us in danger."

"That's debatable, young lady. You did break your grandmother's bowl." Xena scolded.

"Ugh, well, I'm sorry about that, Mama, but I was angry."

"You need to find less inflammatory ways to express your anger, little one. Mother will have both of our hides hanging on a wall if you keep this up, and if I get in trouble because of you, you're going to feel it, you understand?"

Demi nodded quietly as her mother continued, "It's been a long time coming, Demetria. I've been really easy on you for quite a while, but there are hard times ahead, and it's not fair for me to be so lax with you now when I'm going to be expecting absolute obedience when we leave Amphipolis."

"I'll try my best, I promise you, mama."

Xena didn't want to punish her and she knew it. Predictably, her mother pulled her into a hug, "This is the last time I'm going to let you off, Demi. Do you understand?"

"Yes." The girl answered, now falsely contrite.

Watching her mother leave the room, Demi flopped back on the bed. She was slightly disappointed. She had never wanted to be spanked, but somehow, being let off was upsetting. She had wanted solid evidence after weeks of being shrugged off that her mother could be depended on and she hadn't received it. She didn't know whether to give up or to push.

That evening, Demi found her mother outside grooming Argo. "Hey Mama, are we going for a ride?"

Xena grimaced, only problems would arise from her answer, "No, Demi, I'm going for a ride. I received notice from an amazon courier a few minutes ago that things are brewing a little faster than I first thought. We're leaving tomorrow morning and I want to scout the first leg to camp. I have to make a stop in town beforehand and I'm going somewhere you can't really come... It's a dangerous place."

The teenager seethed inside. Her mother's answer was all the proof she needed that the warrior's word was no good. She missed the Xena she knew who always made good on her promises and who always put her daughter first.

Xena turned to her daughter, "I know I said we would spend some time together and I'm really sorry, kid. I truly am. This is for our safety."

Demetria gritted her teeth in an attempt to hold back all the things she wanted to scream. "Okay, mama." She managed, finally. She turned on her heel without allowing the warrior to embrace her and made her way back to the inn. The warrior shook her head and mounted her horse, disappointed in herself for the millionth time in her life. She took off for the marketplace, determined to get back in time to spend the rest of the evening with her daughter.

She bought rations of bread, nuts, cheese, and cured meat for their trip, then stopped to grab a few extra water skins. She tucked everything away in Argo's saddle bags and tied the horse to the post outside the town tavern. Walking in with a hand on her sword, looked around at all the dirt and scum, and decided she could never be persuaded to eat or drink in such a filthy environment. She approached a burly man at the central table in the tavern. He was hairy, sweaty, smelly, and ugly. Like most men were. "Davros." She greeted him simply.

"Xena." He growled, standing up.

"I didn't come here for trouble, Davros... I came here to make a deal with you."

He laughed grimly, "A deal?" He turned to the rest of the tavern's deplorable occupants, "Hear that, boys? Xena, warrior princess wants to make a deal with us."

Chatter and laughter filled the room as the warrior grabbed the big man by the front of his shirt. "Or I could kill every last one of you right here. You know I can." She growled. He stopped laughing and swallowed, "Fair enough, warrior. What do you want?"

"Well," she smiled wryly, "I want your men to make sure my trip through Argos is as smooth as possible. I know that's your territory and I don't want to have to swim across it in a sea of the blood of your army. You owe me one safe passage, at least."

He appeared to mull it over seriously. "Can you get me a meeting with Ares?"

"I can ask," She replied, "but I can't promise. What I can promise if you give us this passage, is that He won't have reason tear your heart out of your chest because something bad happened to me... Or his daughter..."

"That drowned-rat amazon child I saw at your mother's inn is the daughter of the god of war?" A surprised voice came from one of the other men.

Xena approached him with ice in her eyes, "Stay away from my mother's inn, you lout. She is a demi-goddess, and yes, the daughter of the god you worship. You'd better hope he didn't hear that. Because I'm feeling nice today, I'm only gonna maim you." Without further warning, she drove her fist into the man's face, breaking his nose and shattering three of his teeth. No one moved to help him except Davros. "Alright, Xena... Alright, you've got your safe passage through Argos, now leave us before you break any more of my men."

When Xena left the tavern, it was much darker than she'd anticipated. She had taken longer than she meant to. She hopped up on Argo and took off for Amphipolis, pushing the horse to a gallop.

When she reached the inn and settled Argo, she went straight in and to the room Demetria was staying in and sat on the bed, reaching to rouse her daughter. "Demi, wake up." Only Demi wasn't in bed, so Xena walked to her mother's room, hoping her daughter was there.  
"Mother, is Demi in there with you?" She called softly into the darkness.

"No, Xena." Cyrene answered fuzzily, sitting up to look at her daughter, "She went to bed right after supper. She said she wasn't feeling well."

Xena walked to her own room stiffly after kissing her mother goodbye. Something gave her the feeling that she should just stay calm. As she lit a candle, she noticed a note on the bed. She picked it up and began to read, "Mama, as you don't have time for me, I've gone to where they DO have time for me. Don't worry, I'll see you soon. Demetria."

The warrior didn't know whether to fume or to panic that her daughter was out there alone. Fury gripped her suddenly, spreading through the pit of her stomach and up into her chest and face, reaching out to every part of her body... She needed to calm down, focusing on how her daughter could have made it to the amazon camp already. Then the realization hit... "Ares!" She yelled, ignoring immediate complaints from other patrons of the inn.

"Ar-"

"You bellowed?" The handsome god appeared, cutting her off.

"I did." She hissed. "Where is my child?" She put her boot in the center of his chest and kicked him into a chair. She leaned over and trapped him, slapping both hands on the arms of the chair.

"Our child, Xena?" he corrected her. "She wanted to go to the amazon camp with all her friends and age mates, and I took her there. You'll have to find your own way, though. You haven't done me too many favors as of late. Besides, I figure she should have a few worry free days before mama bear shows up and ruins her fun."

Swearing he could see actual smoke spouting from the warrior's ears, he offered some good news, "I left her with that one amazon you and your bard love so much... Ephiny, I believe her name is?"

"Ephiny isn't at the village with Gabrielle?"

Ares looked at his nails, "Nnnnnope. She was injured in a small skirmish at the village. That's all Artemis would tell me before she kicked me off her land."

"You'd better hope she's okay, meathead. I will-"

"Yeah, yeah... Maim, rip, torture, etc... She's fine, Xena." He answered flatly before disappearing.

Xena sat on her bed and flopped back. It was going to be at least four days before she got to camp. She would keep going until Argo needed to rest. At least she had safe passage and wouldn't have to worry about getting sidetracked. She just needed to make sure her daughter was okay... She had no intention of losing another child.

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At the amazon camp, Demetria scowled at her aunt. "Why can't I go drill, Ephiny? It doesn't make any sense to keep me inside this tent all day."

"It's 'Aunt' Ephiny, for the last time, Demi, and you are staying inside. Your mother is going to burn the forest down looking for you."

"I left her a note. She _knows_ where I am. Can't I just have some time to spend with my friends before she comes and kills me?"

"No. You'll wait inside for your killing. I know for sure that you were supposed to arrive with her, and now that I know you left her there, you're on punishment. You're going to stay in with me, and that is your only option." the blonde amazon stated matter-of-factly. "You're lucky I've never known her to peel the hide off your backside or I'd be having that conversation with you right now."

"Really, Aunty? Because it looks to me like you're not very mobile." Demi answered, brushing her hand over the bandages covering the amazon's midsection.

"Hey, a clean crossbow bolt wound won't keep me down for long, you know." she warned.

"But it will keep you down for long enough." The girl smiled, kissing her Aunt on the forehead. She waved and made a quick escape, ignoring the demands that she return. She had put her ass on the line to spend some time with her friends and that was what she was going to do.

She made her way over to the makeshift drill grounds and settled in line by her best friend, Alessa. The girl looked at her for a moment, "Hey, Demi, I thought it was going to be at least a few more days before you got here."

"Yeah, plans changed. Do we know when we're headed home?"

"No word yet... The courier Ephiny sent yesterday came back this morning saying that the attack was staved off around mid-evening, but that Queen Gabrielle has put together an attack group to go out and recruit some Centaurs. They're hoping to widen the defenses..." She dropped out of line and pulled Demi with her. Dropping her voice to a whisper, she continued, "I overheard her tell Ephiny that the men attacking our village were identified as 'the soulless'. You ever heard of them?"

Demetria shook her head.

"Well, they were dead once, but the legend says that they come back every five hundred years to eradicate whoever lives on their land as revenge for how they were slaughtered while they slept in the night. Not even Artemis can stop them... Only Hades, and they aren't getting along right now, so it's up to the Amazons... It's so messed up... The Romans were the ones who killed them, not even the Greeks! And to think, we expanded our territory just-"

Demi held a hand up to stop her friend from turning into Gabrielle, "That is pretty much the most ridiculous story I have ever heard, Alessa."

Her friend shrugged, "It's what I overheard them saying, dude."

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Xena set up camp for the night. She had gotten much farther than she had thought she would. At the pace Argo had set out at, she'd make it to the camp by nightfall the next day. It was rather convenient that the rations she had bought would last her until then, at the very least. No hunting necessary, but she didn't plan to sleep at all. No, she was headed to find her child. A pang of anger hit her hard. Some at herself for not paying attention to how far she had pushed Demetria, and most at her daughter for taking off without giving her another chance.

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"I hear the only way to stop them is to separate the head from the body, Queen Gabrielle."

"Eponin, half of them don't have heads." Gabrielle grimaced. "Hacking them up works, but more just show up... I've decided to consult with a shamaness." She adjusted her headdress and stood straighter, "And I have decided to make the trip to visit Celesta... She owes me a favor."

Eponin stepped forward, "My Queen, we cannot allow you to go alone."

Gabrielle shook her head, "You don't have a choice, Eponin. I will go alone, and you all will head to the camp location."

The weapons master turned to the others, "Yeah, I'm not going to the camp, are you all?"

There was a collective murmur in the negative and Gabrielle threw her hands up. "Fine! Some queen I am, letting my subjects tell me what they're doing. Ready yourselves, we leave in three candle marks."


	3. Righting the Wrongs

**Well, I still don't own anyone but Demi and minor characters. I hope you enjoy this. I had some guidance in this chapter, so the title fits, I think. As usual, please let me know what you think!**

Xena slowed Argo to a trot as she came up on the secluded Amazon campsite. Sliding off the horse, she made her way to a nearby stream to cool down. As Argo drank, Xena patted her down, "What am I going to do with this kid, eh girl? Things seemed so much easier a moon ago."

"I'm sure they were."

Xena turned to find Artemis behind her. "What brings you here, Artemis?"

The goddess gave a subtle shake of her head, "Your child has amazing skills. She will lead this nation well, someday."

"If she lives that long. I may kill her."

"She is very much like you... But also quite like Queen Gabrielle, warrior. You needn't worry about anything more than teaching her to obey you in a time where she thinks she can just strike out alone."

Xena considered the implication. It gave her a bit of relief to hear a god say she shouldn't worry about Ares pulling her into a life of evil. "And your brother, Artemis?"

The goddess practically rolled her eyes, "An idiot, certainly, but not as serious as you think about corrupting her."

Xena nodded, "That's fine then, but I'm still not going to let him influence her."

"A wise choice, Xena. Now, you might like to find your daughter. She's giving the Queen's regent quite a time." the goddess replied, shimmering away before the warrior could respond.

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"Demetria, you wait. You wait until I'm cleared to get up."

"What?! Why? Why can't you just let me go? I've already been _out there _for a _whole night_! This makes _no_ sense, Aunt Ephiny."

Ephiny looked at her niece, "I don't care what you _were_ doing. _Now_, you're stuck in here. You've been acting completely outside your station. You are an Amazon princess, and I am your superior, and I've let this little situation go far beyond what it would have, were I not injured. Do you have a death wish?... Maybe you'd like to spend the rest of your life standing up?"

Demi slumped to the floor and moaned "I'm in so much trouble, Ephiny. I just want to enjoy my last few breaths."

"It's 'Aunt' to you." Ephiny sighed, "Gods, Demetria, I've been 'Aunt' Ephiny since you were in utero. Why are you forgetting now? Stand up, and stop whining."

"Because all day long I hear everyone calling you 'Ephiny'. I guess it's rubbing off on me."

"Well, stop letting that happen. I don't want to hear my name come out of your mouth without the proper address in front of it, do you understand?"

"Yeah... I mean, Yes, ma'am."

"Good. I know you're in a lot of trouble. Probably more than you've ever been in. "What's going on with you?"

"I don't know... I feel like I'm stuck between being a kid and wanting my parent's attention, and wanting space and time with my friends... Mama is too distant and cautious, and plain overprotective sometimes."

"Don't you think she's been around long enough to have a reason to be?"

"Well, maybe, but-"

"No buts, Demi." the regent interrupted seriously, "Xena is your mother and you owe her your respect and obedience. Plain and simple. She doesn't deserve the worry you probably caused her by running off to come here like you did... I said it before, and I'll say it again, if I wasn't laid up like this, I would have you over my knee, and probably over a log as well, and I still may since I should be up tomorrow."

Demi looked down at the floor, rethinking her actions over the last day and a half. She had certainly been both disobedient and disrespectful to her mother and her regent aunt and she felt guilty about it. Still, her teenage logic took hold and she remained angry that she was being denied what she wanted. After all, it was her mother's broken promises that had helped start it all.

"You know," Ephiny continued, "While we're here, I want to point something else out. I don't know why your warrior mother is standing for this, but I won't. The Queen is your mother. I had better _never_ hear you call her by her given name again, do you understand me? You have a responsibility to this tribe and for some reason, everyone but me seems to have forgotten that... When your Mama is done with you after she gets here, you come back to me."

A shamed Amazon princess nodded quietly, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable having been so brash with the Regent. She stood up and asked permission to go get a drink of water.

Ephiny nodded curtly.

"Going somewhere?"

Demetria looked up into the ice blue eyes of her mother, "Hi, Mama." She mumbled, a sinking feeling deep in the pit of her stomach.

"Hello, Demetria." the warrior said evenly, pushing her daughter back into the tent. Her face nearly expressionless, she put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and sat the girl down on the floor. Without another word, she stepped over to take a look at Ephiny. She wordlessly asked to examine the wound and, upon approval, proceeded. The amazon winced hard as Xena poked and prodded around her sore abdomen.

"Ephiny, look." Xena said, holding up a long, jagged splinter of wood, "This was still in your wound. No wonder it's not healing properly. Thank the gods that bolt didn't hit anything important inside you." she finished, covering it anew with a poultice and a clean bandage. She leaned down at Ephiny's beck and furrowed her brow as she was informed quietly about the events that had passed while she was on her way to camp. When she stood up, she nodded seriously. "I'll let you handle that, Ephiny. I've got a lot to address with her. Just relax and heal for now."

"Thanks, Xena." Ephiny smiled gratefully, actually able to sit up without the stabbing pain she'd had before, "Our regular healer is back at the village, so I'm doing my best here."

"You're welcome. she smiled at the woman. "I'll check on you again in a candle mark or so."

"Yes, ma'am." the regent winked at the warrior, "Now take this errant child away and do something with her... She's been way too far out of line." She cocked a stern eyebrow at Demetria as the girl was half led, half dragged from the tent. "And then bring her back!" She called after them.

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"Mama, stop dragging me! People are _watching_!" The teen twisted out of her mother's grasp and angrily readjusted her deerskin top.

Xena grabbed her by the back of her arm and pulled her close, forcing her to stand on her tiptoes. "Demetria, you are in so much trouble, I don't even know what to tell you just yet. Do. Not. Push. Me." She resumed pulling her daughter along as other young amazons watched, wide-eyed.

Again, Demi jerked away and smoothed her clothes. Glaring at her mother, she crossed her arms in a huff, "Mama, we wouldn't even _be_ here if you gave a shit beforehand. _Now _you decide you want to mind me? You're dragging me all over. I'm a princess... They can't see that."

Xena set her jaw with a slight nod and grabbed her daughter, pulling her into the closest tent. She turned and yolked the girl up by the front of her shirt. "You know I was only doing what I had to do to make sure we were safe!" she hissed through gritted teeth. She took a breath and calmed down a bit, "We can't have everything we want the very second we want it, Demetria. Some things, like safety, food, shelter... Those things have to be prioritized over fun...Again, I'm sorry I didn't spend more time with you in Amphipolis, and that's going to change now."

She looked over at the two amazons who were watching the exchange from their table, "Ladies...we'll be leaving. Not a word to anyone about this." They nodded wordlessly, mouths agape. The warrior took her daughter's wrist and led her calmly out and toward the edge of camp away from everyone else.

Once they had some privacy, the teen began playing with her fingers nervously, "Mama, I'm sorry." she whispered. "I shouldn't have had Ares bring me ahead of you. I was just angry and hurt."

Xena nodded, "I know, little one. I never meant to hurt your feelings or neglect you. I love you." She held her arms open and welcomed her daughter into a tight embrace, pressing her lips to the top of the teen's head. "We will talk more about Ares and everything else later, but for now, we have another, more pressing kind of discussion to have."

Demetria's stomach flip flopped as she watched her mother retrieve argo's brush from her saddle bag and sit down on a fallen tree. "Mama, please-"

"No, Demi. You were close enough to this before you decided to come here alone. You've been swinging from angry to apologetic faster than I can turn my head. I told you I expected obedience and you have not delivered, but I will. I'm going to do what I said I would do, and I will continue to do what I've said I will do. I'm not going to leave you feeling like I don't care anymore because it's not true. That starts here." she said, tapping her thigh. "Let's go. Now."

"But Mama..." The girl began again, looking for a way out, "Mama, I'm sorry. I've learned now."

"Demetria, if I have to get up and help you find your way here, I will, and you will not like how I do that." Xena cautioned.

The teen dragged her feet toward her doom. Standing in front of her mother, she looked at her boots and imagined escaping.

Xena looked at her daughter and felt a sadness... She was growing fast and there was so much she needed to learn. She took Demi's hand and led her, face down, over her left knee. Flipping the young amazon's skirt up, she took a breath, raised her hand, and brought it down forcefully, the crack echoing in the forest around them.

Demetria closed her eyes against the searing burn the contact her mother's hand made, had caused. There wasn't enough time to get over it before the next one fell upon her. In other words, her ass was on fire, and it hurt. She began to struggle as Xena picked up the pace, choosing different spots to assault, and leaving no spot uncovered. Soon, she bucked and squirmed, trying to escape without success as her mother's left arm clamped down around her waist. "Mama!" was the only word she could manage by the time the warrior finished hand-spanking her and picked up the brush.

Xena waited a moment so she could talk to her little girl, "Demetria, why am I spanking you?"

Demi had no brat left in her at that moment. Her voice was shaky and high pitched, "Because I've been disrespectful and disobedient, and I left you in Amphipolis so I could do what I wanted, which was dangerous."

"That's right, little one... And your Mama isn't going to allow that, is she?"

"No."

"No, ma'am, Demetria."

"No, ma'am, mama."

Xena picked up the brush to start again, but paused, "Demi, do you know _why_ it was dangerous?"

"Um, because I asked Ares? And because I didn't know what state the camp would be in when I got here... Because we were supposed to travel together..."

"Okay," the warrior nodded, "you do understand." She raised the brush and began again.

When the wood implement met her behind, Demetria threw her head back and struggled against her mother. It was so much more painful than she had ever remembered. She had never been spanked like this, and, well, she wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon. Silent tears rolling down her cheeks became gasps and then sobs, but she didn't ask for it to stop. She knew she had done wrong and she had quite a sense of Amazon dignity.

Xena tightened her grip around Demi's waist and hooked her right leg over her daughter's flailing legs, bringing the back of the brush down in the same spot several times before moving on to the next. She was determined to make a lasting impression on the girl and refused to let up, even as she knew her daughter was crying under her hand, her bare backside a flaming red.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Demi choked out another, "Mama!".

"Demi?" Xena asked, stopping her arm from descending again.

"I'm sorry, Mama. Really, truly sorry. I'm sorry."

Xena spanked the tender area where thigh met bottom twice, hard, on each side, put the brush down, and stroked her daughter's hair. "Alright, Demetria. I believe you. I accept your apology and this spanking is over, okay?"

Demi nodded, still struggling to compose herself. She allowed her mother to help her up and direct her into her lap. The warrior put her arms around Demetria's waist and nuzzled her daughter quietly. "I love you, princess." she whispered.

"I love you, too, Mama."

After a moment of silence, Demetria spoke, "Love hurts, huh?"

Xena tried not to laugh, "Yeah, it does. You did a number on my shoulder. Ow!" She protested the playful swat to her arm, then grew more serious, "Demetria, you do understand now that anymore of this recent behavior is going to land you in a lot of trouble, right?"

The girl nodded as Xena continued, "And that Ephiny is well within her rights as regent of this tribe to punish you as she sees fit for your behavior here?"

Another nod.

"Why, Demi?"

"Because I'm a princess and she's my regent, and I owe both of you respect and obedience. And I owe it to my tribe to do what's expected of me."

"That's right, and when your mom gets back, she's going to know about all of this, and you will need to explain to her as well. No more calling her 'Gabrielle'. I don't know what happened with that, but I shouldn't have encouraged it, and I won't tolerate it any longer. If you have a problem with her, you will talk it out with her when we reunite. Until then, you will have to get over it. She's your mother, too, do you understand?"

_*sigh*_ "Yes, Mama."

Okay, then there won't be any surprises when we go back?"

"No, Mama, but can we stay here for just a little bit?"

"Okay, Demi."

They sat in silence a few moments longer while the warrior mother held her daughter.

"Mama?"

"Yes?"

"I miss this. I miss being your little one. I've been feeling for a long time like I'm just a burden to you."

Xena put a finger under Demi's chin and lifted it so she could look into her daughter's eyes, "You will be my little one forever. Even if you somehow grow taller than me. Even when you're old and grey and I'm older and greyer... And I'm sorry I made you feel like you're a burden. Sometimes my head takes me somewhere else and I need to stop letting that happen. I'm just trying to figure out how to keep our family safe."

Demetria put her head down on Xena's shoulder and played with the shoulder strap on her leathers, "Thanks, Mama. It's nice to know that even when I'm too old to go over your knee, that I'll still be your little one."

Xena chuckled, "Sorry, silly girl, you'll never be too old for that, either, and I'm serious about that. "

Demi sighed. Well, at least there could be no question now that she was loved.

"Could you sing that song you used to sing to me when I was smaller? The one about the bringer of the twilight? You stopped a long time ago..."

Xena swallowed hard before starting with a low hum.


	4. Questions

**I own no one from the show. I only own Demi and some of her friends. I realize that some of you must be confused at some of the references I make, and it's gonna stay that way for a little bit, but be patient... The answers are coming. I must thank Stardawn19 for helping me fix a few things, and I give her some credit for the way this is shaping up. Hence why I will now plug her work (assuming you all are still reading this fic) She writes books, you know, and they're very good. Check out the Mockingbird Chronicles (with kikilia14), Standing firm, and standing strong on Amazon. You will love them.**

Ephiny was feeling much better after the visit from Xena. She stood up and stretched cautiously, happy that the incessant stabbing pain was gone. She bent over slowly and rubbed her stiff legs. Ephiny was like a machine; She became rusty if she didn't move.

"I distinctly remember ordering you to stay in that cot, Regent."

Xena let the tent flap fall behind her and crossed her arms.

"Don't you give me 'the look', warrior. I needed to stretch out."

"I could make it preferable for you to stand, if you like it that much."

The regent searched the warrior's face for the nature of the threat.

"Oh, save that for your daughter, Xena." Ephiny snorted as the warrior broke into a laugh. They had been friends, more like family, for a very long time and Xena was one of the few people Ephiny could joke around with. Their laughter faded and Ephiny took a breath, "Speaking of your daughter... I've made my decision, Xena."

The warrior raised a brow, "What's that?"

"That I'm not going to be easy on her." She raised a hand to quiet the taller woman, "Now, I'm sure you've set her ablaze and comforted her well, Xena, but she is an Amazon princess and I think if she's going to start behaving like one, she needs to be treated like one, and no amazon princess would get away with the things she's been doing. She knows it, too. She was born into this; it didn't fall into her lap last night."

"Alright, Ephiny. You are her Regent and this is your right and your duty. I just want to request two things, if I may, and then I will step aside. First, that her punishment be private this time... It would be one thing if she had not already gone over my knee, but I feel like exposing that evidence for the other young ones here to see may be detrimental to her standing if you want her to be a leader to them." Ephiny gave an acquiescent nod.

"Second, I would give her at least a day or two before you punish her as an Amazon Princess. She has taken quite a bit and I don't think your message would get through to her as effectively."

"Alright, Xena. It will be private with the exception of your presence, as there are no other commanders here at the moment. I'll give her two days, however, I want to see her now. She's due a tanning from her Aunt, and as you've done most of the work, it shouldn't take long."

Xena nodded, "Alright, I'll bring her in. I'm going to ride to the village and see if I can be of any help." She turned and left, returning a few moments later with Demetria who stood by the tent door looking very much like she might bolt. Ephiny walked over and gently grabbed her niece's wrist. "Xena, be careful, please. If you don't think you can make it there and back by nightfall, don't go."

"Alright, Regent." the warrior replied, kissing her daughter's forehead. "I love you, little one. I'll be back in the morning, if not tonight." she whispered.

"I love you too, mama. Be careful. Tell Mom I love and miss her." she sighed back as she was led along.

Once the warrior had gone, the regent turned to her niece, "Alright," she began, twirling a finger in the air, "Turn around, let me see the damage." Demi turned and allowed the regent to lift her skirt. Ephiny looked for a moment, dropped the skirt and turned the girl around. With a hand on each shoulder, Ephiny looked into her eyes intensely, "I'm glad to see your mama didn't pull any punches, young lady."

Demi didn't dare open her mouth unless she was asked. At times like these, Ephiny was very intimidating, and while she wasn't exactly fearful of the regent, she wasn't stupid enough, after what she'd been through that day, to tempt fate.

"Sit." Ephiny commanded, giving the girl a little push.

Demi sat down carefully, her backside more than a little sore.

"Now, I promised your mama I would give you two days to recuperate before your official punishment. That will be for neglecting the behavioral duties of your station and disrespecting direct orders from your Queen's Regent. Those are very serious infractions, Princess, do you understand?

"Yes, Regent Ephiny. I understand." came the demure answer.

"Good, now onto other matters. What you did coming here without your mother was very foolish, but I have no doubt that's been impressed upon you thoroughly, so I'm not going to address that with you. I am, however, going to deal with you for your disrespectful behavior... But I will be doing so...as your Aunt."

She took Demetria's arm and helped her up, "and don't you forget that."

She put her foot up on the edge of the cot and unceremoniously pulled her niece over her thigh. She flipped the back of The girl's skirt up, once more revealing the warrior's handiwork. "Demetria, who am I to you?"

"My Regent... My Aunt."

"And in either capacity, if I give you direction, you..."

"Follow it." Demi finished quietly, feeling very subdued.

"That's right, niece of mine, because if you don't, you will find yourself looking at the floor of my hut more often than any of us want."

With that, she applied the palm of her hand a dozen times to Demi's backside eliciting a series of gasps and a small squeak on the last. She rested her hand on the small of the girl's back, not yet allowing her up. She knew there were tears, and with Demetria, simply being the warrior's daughter and an amazon would give her cause to keep them to herself.

She finally helped Demi up. Wiping two stray tears from her niece's cheeks, she pulled her into a tight hug. "Hey, little miss- your mothers, myself, Aunt Eponin...we care about you... We love you. We're going to be strict in keeping you in line, but it's because we love you. Is that clear?"

Demi nodded, slumping her head against the regent's shoulder, "I know, Aunt Ephiny, I love you guys, too, and I'm sorry I've caused so much trouble. I guess my time away helped me forget things I should have remembered. And two spankings in one day is a lot!"

"Well, you will be disciplined anytime we feel you need it, little one, but we'll be completely done with this matter in a few days."

"Until Mom comes home..."

"We'll see, Demetria. Why don't you go ahead and take a nap?" She suggested, motioning toward the cot.

"Yes, my regent."

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It had been a somewhat arduous trip to visit Celesta. The shamaness' help extended only to opening a portal that would take them to a closer to Hades. Also, she was a little too creepy for the amazon queen to trust her beyond that. Hades' grudge against Artemis, the cause of which no amazon was privy to, had led the god to make their visit as miserable as possible. They had battled what seemed like hundreds of his commanded, he had shown them visions of their loved ones dying agonizing deaths. Gabrielle shook her head as if to dry off, trying to clear the same vision of her Warrior's lifeless, headless body as she had seen once before, but even as it refused to budge, she saw the castle ahead.

"We're here! Is everyone whole?"

Murmurs and echoes. "Yes, Queen Gabrielle."

They approached the gates and Gabrielle turned to her loyal subjects. "I need you all to wait here. Stand guard, while I talk to Celesta."

"Then can we please go home?" A voice came from the back, wavering slightly. It was from a young, newly promoted warrior Gabrielle recognized as a girl she had decorated only a moon before. She approached the girl with a stern look, intending to scold her for showing fear. Then realizing she was scared, she took pity, "Yes, Ahran. We will go home after this. Do not fear, we are all sisters here, and we will protect each other. We'll be home by nightfall, before anyone knows we were gone." The girl nodded quietly, ashamed at having so little restraint in her trepidation, "Yes, my queen, of course. I'm sorry."

Gabrielle nodded silently and headed back for the gates.

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"Hey... Hey, Demi...Wow, you must be in some serious trouble."

Demetria woke to see Alessa poking her head through the door of the tent. "Yeah, something like that, Less. You should probably go if you don't want to be in trouble, too. This is Ephiny's tent."

Alessa walked in, unfazed, "She said I could come see you."

"Oh, okay. Well, how's life on the outside?" Demi asked, wincing as she sat up.

"Maybe better than life wherever you've been for the last two or three candle marks."

"Please tell me you didn't see Mama pulling me around..."

"I didn't, but Cara did. Oh, so did Alona. Marli, Jenna-"

"Okay, so you were, what, picking your nails? Sounds like pretty much everyone saw!"

"No, I was asleep! I got in trouble after you left yesterday. Spent at least a candle mark this morning getting dumped on my ass by Johanna in sparring. I was tired after that."

"How'd you get in trouble? And Johanna? She doesn't even have a feather. She's just older than us."

Well, Ephiny is injured and she's really the only commander here, so she put it on my older sister to 'teach me'. Said I was lucky she did that, too."

"She's not _that_ hurt, trust me. You got off easy...So?"

"So, what? What are you on about?"

"How? How did you get in trouble, dummy?"

Alessa frowned as she plopped down next to her friend, "I 'accidentally' elbowed Middy in the nose when she was making fun of you for getting called into Ephiny's tent yesterday. Saying you were no princess... Stuff like that... And then I 'accidentally' did the same to Marli."

Demi laughed, "So you put your behind in danger just because they were poking a little fun at me?"

"Well, when you say it like that... Don't diminish what I did for you!"

"Or what?" The princess teased.

"Or I'll rock the cot!" Her friend answered, bouncing up and down and laughing at the pained faces her friend was making.

"I'm your princess, you know... This is like, treason, isn't it?"

"Yeah, treason to your-"

_**Craaaaaaack**_

"Ahhhh! Owwwwwww. Gods damn it, Less..." Demi moaned.

The girls struggled to get out of the frame of the cot they had just fallen through as the Queen's Regent eyed them warily from the door, having come in, unnoticed, while the bouncing was happening. "Right," she started, offering a hand to each one, pulling them up. "Alessa, I told you you could come in and talk. I did not give you permission to jump on the bed."

She pulled Alessa forward and bent her over. Taking the girl under her left arm, she delivered a few fast, hard swats, "Now, off to bed before I decide you need more than that."

Demi gave her friend a look of pity as she scurried out of the tent with her hands on her rear.

"Demetria, I'm telling you now, in case it wasn't clear before, you had better keep your nose clean for the next moon, at least." she sighed, not knowing what to make of the broken cot. She rubbed the right side of her abdomen gingerly, still sore.

"Well, neither of us will be sleeping on that. You go sleep in with Alessa and Johanna. Have Johanna get a bedroll together for me and bring it here."

"Okay. Aunt Ephiny? Is mama coming back soon?"

"She better be, or she's going to be in trouble, too." Ephiny answered grimly, sending the girl off with a little squeeze.

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Xena rode into the camp like a harpy out of Tartarus, covered in dust. It was nearly dawn. Ephiny had been up waiting, after going to bed late, for the warrior to return. "It's about time, Xena." she drew out as the warrior approached. "I told you not to go if you weren't going to make it back by nightfall."

"I know, Ephiny, but-"

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I told your daughter, warrior: No buts. Xena, in this tribe, you serve as the Queen's consort, and as such-"

"Shut. _Up_. Ephiny. I need to tell you something important."

Ephiny closed her mouth and looked at the warrior expectantly.

"The village is empty, Eph. Totally and completely empty. I rode in, too close to dusk, looked around, saw everyone was gone, and then I got attacked." She motioned to her arm, a deep gash easily apparent as the sun rose. "I didn't have time to stitch it," she murmured, "I had to get here and tell you."

"Gods, Xena! You weren't bitten, were you?"

"Uh, no... I don't think so."

Ephiny sighed in relief and pulled Xena to the floor to sit, intending to clean the wound so the warrior could stitch herself up. "It's not like Gabrielle to disappear like that. It's not like Eponin... It's not like any amazon. They should have sent a courier."

"Wherever they are, we just have to pray they're okay. Ephiny, it was strange... The men that showed up. There had to be hundreds, and they were all rotting and bones. Just the sheer volume was a big enough challenge."

Ephiny nodded grimly, looking the warrior over for bites, "Yeah, fighting them is how I ended up with this. A young one thought she could protect me. Shot me through the back." She motioned toward her midsection before returning to the task in front of her, "I'd only ever heard stories of these strange men before I encountered them. They're unstoppable, and with a bite, you become one of them."

"Well, Ephiny, just before dawn, they all... Just... Crumbled into piles of dust."

"What? Really?"

"Yup. All gone. Is that their normal exit strategy?"

"No... Sounds like what happens when they return to the ground." The regent answered slowly. "Maybe the cycle is over early? Or maybe Gabrielle and the girls have stopped them somehow?"

Xena exhaled loudly, "I've seen a lot. Maybe more than anyone. I know more than most... But-"

Ephiny rolled her eyes. "So humble."

"It's true, and you know it, Regent." the warrior snapped, "but I've never seen the likes of these...men. They're easy enough to dispatch, but there are so many and they just keep coming. I _need_ to know where Gabrielle is. I'm going to go see my daughter and then I'm going back to wait for The Queen. That's final." She yanked the last thread through at the edge of the gash and blinked hard. The regent shook her head. Leave it to the warrior to punctuate her words in such a way.

"Xena, you do see that your daughter comes by her stubborn nature honestly, don't you?"

Xena gave the regent a look of indignation while tying the stitch off, "I don't have the slightest idea of what you're talking about, Eph. I think it's because she's an amazon."

"Go wake your daughter up so she knows you made it back safely, Warrior. Come see me before you go anywhere."

"Gotcha." The warrior replied as she headed out.


	5. The Reunion

**The usual disclaimer applies. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think!**

"Alright, I'm headed out, Ephiny." Xena announced, walking into the regent's tent.

"Xena, I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not. I don't know what's waiting there, and you're the Queen's regent. We need you safe in case anything happens."

"Do you hear yourself, Warrior? I'm an amazon. An Amazon Queen's Regent, and I'm much better now. I'm going."

Xena shook her head, "Ephiny, we can't leave all these girls with no authority, or help if they need it."

"I've already spoken to Johanna. She has orders to take to the trees with the young ones if we aren't back within half a candle mark of sundown."

Xena put her hands on the regent's shoulders, "Eph, no. You're needed here right now, and you know it, besides, you know Johanna can't handle these young ones, especially mine."

The regent nodded, knowing her friend was right.

"I want to go, as well."

Both women turned to see Demetria in the doorway.

"Absolutely not." Xena stated calmly.

"Mama, I'm an amazon princess, right? I thought I'm supposed to be acting like one? I should be going..."

Xena looked at Ephiny for backup.

"Well, she's kind of right, Xena-"

Demi shot her mother the old I-told-ya look and received a light cuff in the back of the head from the regent, "However, you're not decorated yet, and I need you here anyway to give the girls a little morale. Do you think you could do that, Demi?"

"Sure, Aunt Ephiny, but don't you think it's a little irresponsible for mama to go alone again? I mean, last time she came back with a massive gash in her arm."

Ephiny raised a brow at the precocious question, "She needs to go make sure everything is alright. She WILL be back before sundown." she answered, giving the warrior a pointed look, "That's only about 8 candle marks from now. You can keep it together until then for your tribe, can't you, Princess Demetria?"

Demi nodded quickly and stood up a little straighter having been armed with the responsibility.

Xena pulled her daughter into a hug, "Don't cause any trouble, and if Aunt Ephiny gives you any instruction or order, you do it, without hesitation."

"I will, mama."

"Alright, then. I love you."

"Love you, too."

"Oh, Demetria?"

"Yes, Mama?"

Xena put her hands on Demi's shoulders and looked straight into her deep, green eyes, "Don't you dare do anything other than what I've told you to do, do you hear me?"

"I hear you... Don't dare do anything other than what you've said to do."

She watched her mother ride off toward the village again.

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"Look what the cat dragged in." Xena called, nodding toward her favorite amazon Queen. She had ridden in to the village just in time to intercept the rest of the tribe as they returned through the portal.

"Why, is it a bard?" The warrior's eyes were warm at the sight of Gabrielle. She pretended to be looking far into the distance, squinting into the sun, while having the one sided conversation.

"No, its a little Queen!". she chuckled, hopping off Argo as Gabrielle drew nearer, and bent a knee in respect.

Xena could see the worry on Gabrielle's face, though she smiled widely, throwing her arms around the warrior, "Gods, I've missed you so much, Xena. It's been six moons since I've seen you and Demi."

"Too many." The warrior agreed, bending down to press her forehead to the amazon queen's. "What's going on here, anyway?"

"Oh, Xena, I went to visit Celesta to find out if she knew anything about these 'soulless' men that have been attacking us... It's not good. When we came back to this time, we pissed Hades off. We aren't the only ones who remember what was supposed to happen. He wanted you, Xena... He got to keep the souls, though. And now that everything is the way it was before Eve, he's retaliating. It's not just us being attacked. It's everyone. Everywhere."

Xena closed her eyes and clenched her jaw, stressing about her mother. "We have to figure this out."

"I do have a little good news, though."

Xena raised an eyebrow in question.

"I did redeem that favor Celesta owed us... As long as we're on Amazon land, we're safe."

Xena nodded, "Good, but you know I will have to find a way to fix this for everyone?"

"I know, Xena, but not tonight... We will just bring the young ones home so I can see my daughter and relax with you in our hut. It's been a really long, tiring trip."

"Speaking of your little trip, Gabrielle... Ephiny and I would like to speak with you when we get back with the girls."

Gabrielle's green eyes searched the warrior's blue one's for intent, "Are you upset with me?"

Xena leaned down to talk into Gabrielle's ear, "Well, I'll say for now that you didn't handle it the way you should have, and I think you know that."

Gabrielle gave a slight nod in agreement, ashamed at the realization that she had not sent word of their venture to see Celesta.

Xena hugged her again and held her at arm's length, her tone serious, "Go wait in the hut. Take that headdress off and relax. We'll be back in about a candle mark or so."

Gabrielle nodded, and after making sure her sisters were all okay, headed in to read a scroll.

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"Alessa, she said not to do anything other than what she told me to do."

"How will she know? She's not here!"

Demi shook her head, "It's painful to sit and I'm STILL in trouble. There's no way I'm going to start adding to the pile of shit I'm in right now, besides, Ephiny will skin you all alive, and someone has to stay with the tiny ones. Since I'm out here..."

"Yeah, I guess I understand when you put it like that... Where is Ephiny, anyway?" her voice dropped to a whisper.

"She's inside. She has to change her dressing and gather her things together and make sure the old ones are okay with the babies. Then if we have time before we go, she's going to lead a staff lesson. Are you going to wait with me, or are you going with them?" Demi asked, her eyebrow cocked, much like her mother's would have been.

"Sorry, Demi, I'm going to go. We might be leaving soon and that old vineway up there is too cool looking to pass up checking out."

Demetria nodded, sour at both not being able to go, and at being left alone. Vineways were systems of vines and branches the amazons built in the treetops, and though they provided tactical escapes and quick travel, you had to be mindful. One slip, and you were going down. She watched her friend scurry up into the trees with the others.

"I go?" A little amazon asked, tugging at Demi's skirt.

"No, Bella. Dangerous." She gesticulated wildly with her hands to add emphasis to "dangerous." She looked up again longingly.

It just wasn't worth the trouble, she decided, and it was lucky that she made that choice...

"That was fast, Mama."

The warrior pulled Argo up right in front of her daughter. "Up you go, little one." She smiled, reaching down to pull the girl up. She tousled the hair of the toddler that clung to her daughter.

"Where are your friends?" She asked, noting that the camp had quite a few less young ones. Demi shook her head, not wanting to tell. She put the little girl down and looked back up at her mother.

"Demetria, where is everyone else?"

Silence.

"You have three seconds, daughter mine..."

Demi shook her head and then looked up. Xena followed her gaze into the trees. "Oh-" the warrior started, realizing.

A cracking sound tore the silence as two young Amazons tumbled from a high branch above them. Xena reached out with her lightening fast reflexes and caught one. Fortunately, the other had her foot so tangled in a vine, she stopped just short of hitting her head on the ground and struggled there until Xena cut her loose with a well aimed chakram throw. She looked down at the girl in her arms, "I would have expected better of you, Alessa."

She set the girl down just as Ephiny came out of her tent to see the sheepish young amazons descend from the trees.

"Johanna, step forward." The regent demanded, "Why were you all up there? It's not nightfall, and I told you the day before yesterday to avoid that vineway. I told you it was too old to support any more uses. It's unreliable and dangerous."

"I'm sorry, My Regent, it's just... Well, we thought it would be fun."

"Fun." Ephiny drew evenly. She appeared to think for a moment. "Okay." She continued seriously, "Well, I'm sure I can arrange some more 'fun' for you all when we get home. Let's go."

Xena looked at Demi, "You didn't go with them?"

"No, Mama... I don't want anymore trouble."

"Good. Let's go see your mother."

"Is she home now?" Demi was torn between excitement and anger. It was difficult to make sense of. She hadn't seen her mother in just over six moons, when she and Xena had gone to help an old friend, thinking it would be a nice bonding trip. Instead, it turned into a really long time away with several stops to help more friends and villages out of trouble. It had seemed like they had taken the long tour of Greece.

"She's back, and she really wants to see you."

"Okay." Demi answered, still trying to manage her feelings. She'd been very upset with the queen for declining to go with them... For choosing the tribe over a little time with her daughter. Demi knew her mother was Queen. She knew, as an amazon princess, that the tribe had to take precedence, but she was still angry.

Xena turned to face her daughter, concerned, "Hey, what's wrong? You don't seem too excited."

"Nothing, mama. Let's just go."

"Demi-"

"I said I'm fine!" the girl snapped.

She looked at her mother, panicking a bit. She hadn't meant to come across as rude.

Xena shook it off, "Alright. We'll go then."

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As the village came into view, Demi was glad to see it. Home sweet home. Where she knew what lay at every turn. Where she had all of her things. Her own space.

"Demi!"

Gabrielle had been waiting anxiously for them to show up, and she sprinted toward Argo at full speed.

"Gods, I can't even describe how much I've missed you!" She blurted out, as if that statement had been sitting under pressure for a year. She pulled her daughter down from the horse and threw her arms around the girl tightly, pressing her lips to her cheek.

Demi put her anger aside for the moment, returning the embrace. She inhaled the familiar scent of her mother.

"Mom."

It was only one word, but it evoked strong emotion from the three of them. Xena slid off Argo and wrapped her arms around her girls, her eyes wet. It had seemed like a very long time that they'd been apart.

Around the village there were young ones being reunited with their mothers. It was a nice thing to see. When the three broke their embrace, Xena spoke, "Well, Gabrielle, before we get settled, I'd like to speak to you in private."

The blonde nodded, not quite ready to let go of her daughter so soon. Demi wriggled away as the happy feelings began to fade a little. "I'll see you in a bit, then, she said awkwardly.

"Wait, Demi." Gabrielle pleaded. "Xena, I want to talk to Demi first."

Xena shook her head an gave Gabrielle a pointed look, "No, Gabrielle. We have some things to discuss before you talk to her."

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When they got into the hut, Xena grabbed Gabrielle and pulled her close.

"I've missed you, my Queen." she murmured as the blonde smiled into the shared kiss, "...Almost enough to forget showing up here, looking for you, and finding no one."

Gabrielle ran her fingers over the stitches on the warrior's arm, "Is that how this happened? You came too close to nightfall?"

"Yes... Gabrielle, why didn't you send a courier to the camp? Don't you think it would have been good to know that you were going to the gods damned Underworld?"

"Xena, I didn't know you were back, and I was just really focused on trying to find a solution!"

"Well, I was back. And you know, not letting at least your Regent know what was going on was really stupid and irresponsible."

Gabrielle's ears felt hot. She was annoyed and ashamed at the same time. "Xena, I'm sorry. It was irresponsible. I don't know what I was thinking... Oh, wait, you know what? _I do_... I was thinking I would really like to stop being attacked by hundreds of the undead every night. Losing my sisters. Being separated from the rest of the tribe-"

"Alright, Gabrielle, save it." Xena ordered firmly, crossing her arms. "If I didn't think Ephiny was going to tear into you as well, I might be tempted to remind you that just because we have a daughter doesn't mean you're completely safe from, or beyond, retribution."

The blonde sighed, throwing her hands up, "I'm sorry, Xena. It's so much responsibility being queen. It's a juggling act and I dropped the ball there. It won't happen again."

Xena let a small smile play across her lips as she pulled the mother of her daughter to her again, "Good, because I can't get over how much I've missed you."

They embraced for a quiet moment.

"Speaking of your daughter, Gabrielle..."

"Mmm?"

"She's been a handful, to say the least..."

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"And you _ran away _from your _mother _and had _Ares _bring you to the camp?! You directly disobeyed orders from my _regent_?"

Demetria sat on the cot looking miserable as her blonde mother paced in front of her. Their sweet reunion, while nice enough, hadn't been that way for long.

"What's gotten into you?" Gabrielle finally asked, exasperated.

"Who's asking that? Queen Gabrielle or my mom?" Demi asked back with an edge on her voice.

"What does _that _mean?"

"What don't you under-stand-uh?" The girl inunciated. "Am I speaking to Queen Gabrielle, or am I speaking to my mom?"

The bard opted to ignore the disrespect for that second so she could figure out what the intent was behind it, "I'm always your mom, Demetria."

"No, you're not. No. You're. Not. Sometimes, you're my mom. Most of the time, you're queen Gabrielle."

"Yes, I am a Queen. That doesn't change that I'm your mom."

Demi laughed acrimoniously, "You know what? The fact that you just said that... That you don't get what I'm saying... It just goes to show that you're NOT my mom. You're the queen."

"Demetria..." Gabrielle began softly, "small fry..."

"Don't." Demi stopped her. She hadn't heard that nickname in years. Gabrielle had given it to her when she was very young after watching Xena struggle to get her out of the water on one of their trips. It had been born when the bard noted that she must have been a baby fish to love the water so much.

Gabrielle tried to touch her arm and she pulled away dramatically, "Don't. Just... Don't... You could have come with us, just once, but you were too busy being Queen. _Six _moons. _six_... We've been gone. You could have left Ephiny in charge. You've done that before..." Her anger grew, bubbling just below the surface.

Her pulling away... Her words... Both stung Gabrielle. She could only look at her daughter.

And then, Demetria exploded. She began throwing things about the hut in a rage.

"_FUCK YOU_! See this?" She screamed, holding up the Queen's headress before throwing it to the floor. "_FUCK your title! FU_-"

The slap shocked Demi, stopped her verbal tirade, and had her seeing stars. She touched the cheek her mother had just made contact with.

Gabrielle gripped her shoulders tightly, "That's _ENOUGH_!" She yelled, beginning to cry as her daughter did the same.

They sunk to the floor, Demi in her mother's arms.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."She grabbed Demi's face and forced her to look into her eyes, "I am so sorry. I had no idea I let you down like that. Honey..."

Looking into her mother's green eyes with her own, Demi broke down fast, her body wracked with sobs. "I know you had to stay... I just-"

"Shhhh... It's okay." Gabrielle soothed her. "It's okay. I'm not going to let you down like that again."

After a few minutes, they were both much calmer. Demi looked up, her head in Gabrielle's lap. "Mom?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you still love me?"

"I will always love you, Demetria. No matter what."

"...I'm really sorry. For everything... Are you mad at me?"

"No... I'm disappointed in some of your behavior with mama and at the camp, but I'm not angry at you. I know you've been hurting."

"Am I in trouble with you?"

"Demi, you did throw all my stuff on the floor. And you said some really disrespectful things. Should I let you get away with that in light of everything else?"

"No... Probably not. But... Can I still be small fry after all that?"

Gabrielle ran her fingers through her daughter's hair, "Of course. You've always been my small fry. You always will be."

Demi let herself relax fully, "Well, what are you gonna do to me?"

"Your mama told me you have a really sore behind, and I know you have an official punishment tomorrow, so I'm not going to spank you for throwing this stuff everywhere and saying the things you did... I'm going to ground you to this hut for the next three nights."

Demi sighed. It was more than fair. It was easy, but she barely had time to wonder how she got off so lightly as the blonde rolled her over and began guiding the girl over her lap. "Mom?"

"What?"

"I, um, I thought you weren't going to spank me..."

"I said I wouldn't spank you for what you just did. I AM going to spank you."

She lifted her hand and let it fall six good times on either side of Demi's behind and then pulled her up to look into her eyes, "Don't you ever question if I love you again, do understand me? The answer is always yes. Always. Forever."

Tears threatened to fall down Demi's cheeks. The spanking hadn't hurt much at all, even though she was still sore, but then, that hadn't been the goal anyway. She knew her mother didn't mean she couldn't ask. She meant the girl couldn't behave like she wasn't loved. She had missed her mom and being close with her...The physical contact, whatever kind.

She grimaced at the slight sting her mother's hand had brought, knowing that despite the generous two day break, she was going to be in for it the next day.

"Okay, Mom. I know."

Gabrielle held her daughter for a little while until Xena poked her head in. "My queen, your regent awaits you. I can take this one from here.

The blonde sighed. Ephiny would be furious. Maybe she'd end up joining Demi the following day, simply on the principle of being Queen.


	6. It's Official

**I own no one except Demi and some of her friends. Sorry about the wait! Busy times over here. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!**

"My Queen." Ephiny greeted Gabrielle as she entered the hut.

Gabrielle gave the regent a weak smile before sitting down across from her. "How's your wound healing?"

"It's healing quite well, thanks to that warrior of yours, but we're not here to discuss that."

"No, I suppose not. Look, Ephiny, I'm sorry I didn't send word of where we were going. I-"

"You are an Amazon Queen, Gabrielle. I expect more than a flimsy excuse, both as your second in command, and your sister, so consider that before you continue."

Gabrielle shut her mouth for a moment. "I guess I don't really have a valid excuse, Ephiny. It was a major oversight."

"You're damn right, it was. You know, I should have you bent over beside your daughter tomorrow when I punish her for neglecting the duties of her position."

The blonde looked at Ephiny. It was her friend who had said that. Her sister... Her regent would never have suggested such a thing as punishing the Queen with her daughter present.

"Ephiny, I know I don't have a good excuse for not sending a courier, but do you really want that?"

The regent sighed, "No. You know I don't. You're my best friend and my Queen... Especially not in front of your daughter. Part of me still wants to wring your neck, though."

Gabrielle nodded gratefully. She would have submitted, solely based on the worry she had caused the regent. She had never intended it. "Ephiny, you'll never have to worry about that again. I promise you."

"Yeah, you'd better stick to that promise. I'm not joking, Gabrielle. Don't make me follow through on that... I will do it."

"Oh, I know. I know, Eph." The blonde assured her. She had been present when the regent had administered official punishments enough times to know she wasn't joking.

"I'm glad you're okay." Ephiny sighed, giving Gabrielle a light hug, "Now go to bed. I'm tired and I'm sure you are, too."

Gabrielle left Ephiny's hut feeling good. She was glad to be home, they were safe for the time being, and her daughter and warrior were back.

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"Demi."

"I went yesterday."

"Demi! Wake up."

Demetria opened her eyes slowly, the fuzzy form of her green eyed mother slowly coming into focus.

"Mom?"

"It's time to get up, small fry. You need to get dressed. You have a punishment coming, and Aunt Ephiny wants to get it over with. Do you want to eat before or after?"

The butterflies in Demi's stomach started up. There was no way she could fit food in there just then. "After. Where's mama?"

"She was leading a sword lesson, so she went straight to the hut afterwards to wait. Up!"

"Okay. Are you coming?"

Gabrielle nodded, "Yes, Demetria. Now that I'm here. Yes."

"Why can't this just be a normal punishment? Why do I have to wear my leathers?"

"Because, Demi, you're fourteen summers now. You're old enough to know better, and at fourteen, Amazon royalty is expected to behave the way a normal 16 year old would. That's why we're being so hard on you now...And an official punishment is ceremonial. Like it or not."

"But I only turned fourteen summers two moons ago. Shouldn't we be celebrating that instead of doing this?" She tried, to no avail.

"Well, we might have been until you got yourself into trouble... It's not as if you didn't earn this, Demetria."

Gabrielle shook her head at the dejected look her daughter gave her, " But maybe you and I and mama will do something to celebrate when you aren't grounded anymore."

The girl gave a short nod, frowning. She slid into her leathers, which were normally reserved for ceremony, and the headdress of a princess, and followed her mother to Ephiny's hut, dragging her feet the entire way.

An official punishment was different to a normal one. Any amazon girl could be punished by any commander at any time it was seen fit, but official punishments were for serious rule breaks. They were administered in front of an audience and only to amazons of fourteen season cycles and older. Usually in front of other commanders and the offender's mother. Sometimes, if it was a really bad offense, it could be carried out in front of the entire village, though that usually only happened if an adult or commander really, really screwed up.

Gabrielle put her hands on Demi's shoulders and steered her in to the hut. Ephiny stood to the left of a small table that had been placed in the middle of the hut. Xena stood in the back quietly, her fingers laced in front of her. She gave her daughter a small nod of encouragement.

Gabrielle let her hands drop from her daughter's shoulders as they approached the table and joined her warrior. Demi was left standing in front of her aunt, who observed her stoically before beginning.

"Princess Demetria: daughter of both Queen Gabrielle and Xena: Warrior Princess. You stand before us today to receive punishment for the following infractions of rule, according to the commanders of this Amazon tribe: First, neglecting the duties of your station with regards to your behavior. It was wholly unbecoming of a princess. Second, for disobeying direct orders from your regent by leaving the tent after I told you you could not." She paused and looked at Demi for acknowledgement that she understood.

The princess nodded.

" I act as Queen in the absence of your mother, and as second in command in her presence. In either regard, my station is above yours. What that means is if I give you direction, you take it. At fourteen summers, you have come to the age at which you are expected to uphold the rigid behavioral duties your station, as princess, commands. If a commander gives you an order. You follow it. I hope to make that clear today... Do you have anything you would like to say, Princess?"

"I'm sorry I disobeyed you and acted out." Her legs were shaking. It was her first time experiencing an official punishment. It was just her, her aunt, and her parents. The atmosphere was so stiff Demetria couldn't have said anything else if she wanted to. Ephiny nodded.

"Very well. Let it be known, given my prior knowledge of thorough retribution handed down by the parents of this offender, the punishment I have deemed appropriate for this situation will be four strokes with the arrow, does anyone object?" The arrow was a classic implement in the amazon community. It was simply an arrow devoid of an arrowhead. For the most serious offenses, or older warriors, the flat of a ceremonial sword was used.

Silence.

"Come here, Demetria. Place your hands on the table."

Demi did as she was told and closed her eyes as her leathers were lifted.

"A little further up." The regent guided her hands so she was bent over a little more.

The four strokes landed one right after the other in quick succession. Demi sucked in a deep breath as the pain caught up and spread into a throbbing burn across the middle of her behind. Nearly as quickly as it was lifted, the skirt of her leathers was dropped again. Her eyes filled, but she held the tears back as she turned to face the regent again.

"Alright, Princess Demetria. Your punishment is complete and over. I would strongly encourage you not to repeat the actions that led us here. You may return to your day."

"Yes, Regent Ephiny."

Ephiny hated being so formal with her niece, but it needed to be done. She watched the teenager walk stiffly from the hut and let her shoulders drop a little.

"Are you okay, Ephiny?" Gabrielle asked, a little concerned, wrapping an arm around her friend.

"Why is it she's the one who got punished, but I'm the one feeling like I need comfort?"

Xena snorted, "because you're a big softy under that tough exterior."

Ephiny side eyed the warrior, "Takes one to know one, eh?"

"When it comes to my daughter, absolutely." The warrior grinned, ducking out of the hut to go find her child.

Ephiny let Gabrielle hold her for just a moment before shaking her off. "That's enough mushy stuff, Queen."

"Hey, I was fine." Gabrielle chuckled, "you were the one having a minor emotional break."

"This isn't easy, you know, being the one who carries these punishments out. I know I'm pretty tough, but it's not easy."

"I've carried them out before!" The Queen defended herself against the implication.

"Yeah, twice, and that was because Solari and I ignored a command to wait, which if I remember correctly, turned out to be a pretty damned good idea... As usual! But the young ones? That's always me..."

"Eph..." Gabrielle called softly, grabbing the regent's hands, "if it really gets to you, I can do them from now on."

"No." Ephiny replied, quite irritably, pushing Gabrielle's hands off, "it's my job...I do my job, if nothing else...I guess having Demi in here kind of got to me, though." she admitted after a moment.

"Awww, Well, if it would make you feel better, I could give you a few strokes for being a cranky little brat for the last two minutes." Gabrielle teased, poking the regent in her shoulder.

"Not unless you want me to throw you from this hut like a limp sack of deer meat... My queen." Ephiny snorted back.

"I'd give you the flat of the sword for doing that, Ephiny. That would be one more you didn't have to administer." The blonde queen replied with a small smirk, though she was serious.

"Might be worth it, you know, Gabrielle." the regent replied with the same serious intent.

Hands went to hips and slight glares began to form.

That was the way it worked between them. They would joke to break tension, and it would devolve into a series of serious threats that usually had no action behind them. It was sort of an outlet for both of them. Either woman would die for the other without a need to ever speak such a sentiment, but there was a tendency toward a sibling rivalry at times.

Xena poked her head in, "or I could knock both your heads together. How does that sound?" She was used to breaking the tension when the regent and the Queen locked, even playful, horns. It didn't seem to be working at that moment.

"Alright." The warrior shrugged with a wry smile. She grabbed each woman by the back of her neck and pulled them into a headlock. She began to inch toward the door. A silent threat that she might expose their predicament served to set them on their heels.

Mere paces from the door of the hut, Gabrielle began to laugh. Soon, the three of them were giggling like young Amazons at the silliness of the situation.

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Demetria laid on her cot, bored as ever. It was the last day of her grounding, but there wouldn't be much to do, but train for a few days anyway. When they had returned to camp, word of the vineway fiasco had promptly made its way to the offenders mother's resulting in a widespread grounding of most of her age mates. Alessa still had four days to go and Demi didn't get along well with many of the others. Some were jealous of her status in the hierarchy, some were just not easy for her to get along with simply because she didn't like them. She was picky with her friends, mostly because being her mothers' daughter gave her hereditary abilities on an elite level that very few of her age mates, and even some older warriors couldn't contend with.

Alessa was easy going, very skilled for her age, and was Eponin's youngest sister. Her mother had been killed in battle when she was only three winters old, leaving the older warrior to care for her and their middle sister, Johanna, at just nineteen. Alessa and Demi had been friends from a young age, even though Alessa was younger by about 5 moons. She wouldn't be fourteen until winter. She might be grounded until then if she didn't stop doing so many stupid things.

Nonetheless, a knock at the door of Xena and Gabrielle's hut yielded the girl, to the princess's surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Demi asked, pulling her friend in quickly.

"I came to talk to you... Ep is having some kind of meeting with your parents, Ephiny, and some of the other commanders and they're pretty wrapped up in it."

"You know, if we get caught, I'm going to be in more trouble than you." The young princess hissed. "You better actually have information worth that because if we get caught, I'm telling them YOU came HERE."

"Relax, they're busy, Demi. I overheard your mama say that she's headed to Athens in a few days to try and get in contact with Athena... She's looking to make allies of some of the gods and go against Hades or restrain him or whatever...that part was a little fuzzy... I guess this thing that's been happening around here with the dead warriors attacking us is more widespread than we thought."

"She's leaving the village?"

"Yep."

"And the Queen?"

"Staying here with the commanders and building up defenses, in case the agreement with Celesta goes wrong somehow."

Demetria sighed. Why couldn't her warrior mother just stay on Amazon ground and let someone else deal with Greece's issues?

"I'm betting I'm not going to be allowed to go with her, either."

"Duh, Demi. Why would they let you go where it's not safe?" Alessa rolled her eyes.

"Shut up. I hope they catch you out of your room." Demi shot back playfully. "They'll gang up on you...Especially since it seems like Ep and Aunt Ephiny have been making googly eyes at each other for the last few days I've been here."

"Ugh. Don't remind me. They've been 'seeing' each other for almost four moons now."

"What?!"

"Oh, yeah. You've been gone... Yeah, they're already talking about building a hut together. Personally, I like Ephiny, but I don't want to live with her."

"Why? She's not that bad, Less."

"She's way stricter than my sister. My backside is sore half the time!"

A voice rang out, making them both jump. "Maybe that's just what you need, young one."

Ice blue eyes appraised them from the doorway. Demi ratted her friend out immediately, just as she had promised she would. "Mama, I didn't invite her... I-"

"I know, Demetria. I've been here for a moment... Alessa, you might want to get back to your room before they actually notice you're missing." She caught the girl by the arm on the way out, "and that's as nice as you can ever expect from me again if I catch you disobeying your sister, even one more time... I heard you sneak out your window and I knew where you were going."

The girl didn't know whether to be horrified or impressed that the warrior had HEARD her slip out of a window, over conversation, two rooms away.

Xena gave her a small smile. "Not much gets by me. Now, go."

She watched the girl cross the clearing toward her hut and turned back to her daughter.

"So, little one. You know I'm leaving in a few days, then?"


End file.
